Dry conditions continue to fuel destructive southern California fires
At least 180,000 residents have been forced to evacuate after significant fires broke out in several locations across Los Angeles
Strong winds have fuelled at least five significant blazes across multiple neighbourhoods in Los Angeles. Over 180,000 residents have been forced to evacuate.
The largest fire ignited at 10:30am local time on Tuesday in Pacific Palisades near the Topanga Canyon. The blaze has impacted more than 17,000 acres across the Palisades area.
California’s fire agency warned of an immediate threat to life in some areas, with roads gridlocked with traffic jams as people evacuate.
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) remained open as of 5:00am local time on Friday, but 30 flights have been cancelled.
Since the wildfires began on Tuesday, 890 flights have been delayed and 107 have been cancelled at LAX.
One in five departures were delayed on Wednesday, making it the worst day for travel, according to data from FlightAware.
Californians are urged to remain vigilant and follow the instructions of local authorities with critical fire weather conditions expected to continue in many areas of Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Orange, Riverside, and San Diego counties.
World Travel Protection has outlined the six top threats it predicts business and leisure travellers will face in 2025.
Chloe Fox
Chloe Fox is an Editorial Assistant for Voyageur Group, joining in 2024. She writes for ITIJ and AirMed&Rescue, covering a range of topics including international travel and health insurance, medical assistance provision, and air medical transportation. Chloe holds a BA (Hons) in English and an MA in English Literature from the University of Bristol.